Iran-Gilan Music

 Gilaki Dance

Gilan province has one of the richest treasuries of music culture. That is, the different parts of Gilan either from view point of various songs or from the view point of melody and rhythm specifications are enjoying various styles.

In Gilans local music, technique is not as important as experience and sense. They are experience and sense which are indication and reach to the gate of technique and influence the addressee.In Gilan, music represents the life of a people who live in the woods, love nature, and lead a simple and easy life, Guilan music is mostly in the form of "Shoor", and its songs are mostly in the form of "Dashti" and rarely "Chahargah" and "Shooshtari"; They abound in marvelous and significant prospects, picturing the green and fertile land, woods, farms, and paddy fields of Gilan.

Gilan music is categorized in to three main parts based on geographical factors:

1. Music of the east part of the province (Galesh mountains).

2. Music of the urban part of the province (plain).

3. Music of the west part of the province (Talesh Mountains)

Vocal music is mainly entrenched in the east of Gilan.

The Gilans "Reezmagham" includes the settees, the ditties, and the tunes which are mostly sung by the women, these get their subjects from the real life of the people living in this region.

Talesh music takes its form from a popular song called "Dastoon", which is instrumental music. These songs are extremely sad and melancholy.

Muludikhani is the sacred part of Gilan music. It has coincided with such different events as the birth anniversary of Mohammad, the prophet, Emam Mahdy, the return of Hajis from Mecca, accomplishment of oblation, etc. This particular way of performing is called Amiri khani in Mazandaran province.

Muludi is rendered as choral group or singer group in which like Noruzkhani one performs couplets and the others do stanza.

Muludi's are sung in Gilaki, Farsi, Turkish and Arabic. Playing muludis on Lala is common. Dervish of  Qâderyye apply Daf in their performances

Noruzkhani is one of the original rituals in Gilan. The  Noruz Eve [Iranian  new year], a group of singers go round, house by house, around the region giving out tiding of the new year and spring in the form of songs. As per the traditions, as soon as the owners hearing the vocal of the singers get out of their houses and give them gifts (rice, cookies or money). Their dress is red color since it resembles good luck and wealth.

In Noruzkhani, a singer renders certain couplets and others repeat the stanzas, which is called ''Vâgir'', literally signifying the act like that of a chorus.

Here is an example of Taleshi Noruzkhani ;

Bahâr darma hamina shâd âbina     

spring has arrived, everyone is happy       

Dele qam dideye âzâd âbina           

there is no room for sorrow in the hearts

Lalayi = Lullaby is one of the oldest form of infant’s oral literature that shows the   passion of mother to her child by music.

Iranian mothers express their thoughts, feelings and in other words the lifestyle to their babies by singing Lalayi. The babies will be trained to become familiar with affluent culture of their motherland.

Lalayi likewise other folk music is impacted by the regional elements and nature. By  searching the Gilan culture, Lalay song is totally varied than others and has mellow rhythm. The song is  passed on from one generation to another generation When the mother is moving the cradle of her baby  , she will sing the Lalayi song at same time  .

Here is the lyrics of a Taleshi lalayi;

Bekhos laylay, bekhos ruz âba niya  

Sleep my dear, day has not come yet

Didâram ba te kâsir âba niya          

I've never gotten enough of seeing you

Musicology and studying the structure of divers’ ancient musical instruments is one of the most vital branches of Ethnomusicology. The recognition of vocal music vitalizes us to distinguish cultural values, specialties, and visual criteria of society. Ethnomusicology and the studying of musical instruments is one of the most significant keys to the mysteries of musical history of the diverse cultures.

To identify musical instruments in various cultures is ample. This identification is possible to be studying the existing musical instrument first and then researching the instruments that are not in use and belong to the history.

Ahmad Ashourpour

 

Naser Vahdati

Gilan Talesh

Ghasem Abadi Dancer